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Posted by Vince Lucas on 21:47:43 01/31/07
Today I went in search of adding some "ticks" to my Collier County Big Year. I didn't get what one would exactly call an "early start" but I managed to make it to the Fritchey Rd. Wetlands by 8:45AM. I had hoped to find the Great Horned Owl that has frequented the area near the intersection of Greenway & Fritchey Rds. for the last few years, but I was unsuccessful despite a thorough search of the tall Slash Pines and Bald Cypress in the area. What I did find were easily 5000-6000 American Robins! They were everywhere. In fact, I'm positive that there were more AMROs there than I've ever seen anywhere in Florida, including the "invasion" we had here in Collier County several years back. These birds were gorging on Brazilian Pepper berries. Watch out for more of these invasive exotics sprouting up in the next few years thanks to the AMROs! The wetlands weren't very "wet". The hoped-for Snail Kites were not there. Nor were they present along a few other places I've seen them in the past -- a few miles further south of this area: 6L's Road and Tomato Rd. I've yet to see a Snail Kite in Collier County this year. There is so much development and total devastation of wetland habitat (and upland habitat) going on in that general area that I fear I may never see another one there again. What a shame. I used to see Snail Kites and Limpkins regularly in that general area but I hardly ever do these days. Sigh. . . .
From Fritchey Rd. I went down to the Big Cypress National Preserve to try for the Northern Waterthrush and other passerines that I knew frequented the Kirby Storter Boardwalk. The water levels at Kirby Storter were extremely low and, without a doubt, they will dry up unless we get some rain soon. After searching for about a half-hour, I managed to find not one, but two, NOWAs. I also photographed one of them. Other birds in the area were all of the "usuals" including Northern Parula, Palm & Yellow-rumped Warblers, Carolina Wren, etc., etc.
After leaving Kirby Storter, I spent the remainder of the day birding Turner River Rd. from US Rte. 41 at the H.P. Williams Picnic Area all the way to Bear Island Campground. There was a tremendous number of birds along this road this day. Most were the usual waders, raptors and passerines. I managed to add Purple Gallinule to my Collier County Big Year list. There were at least a half-dozen of them north of Wagonwheel Rd. on Turner River Rd. However, the two Wood Ducks (another addition to the list) were totally unexpected. A Limpkin was also unexpected but not a new bird for the Collier County Big Year list. Many other birds were photographed as well including a copulating pair of Red-shouldered Hawks as well as just a slew of other birds.
I did a lot of photography today on Turner River Rd. north of Wagonwheel Rd. In the next few days, when I find time, I'll put them onto my Flickr website at the URL in my signature file below. Watch for them. I highly recommend this stretch of the road for all aspiring nature photographers out there. I found and photographed several species of herps today as well. Most were warming up after the cold snap we've been experiencing here in southwest Florida the last couple of days. An 8-foot Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake was a beautiful find. I found and photographed some nice leps and odes too, but that's another post.
After returning to US Rte. 41 via Turner River Rd. to Wagonwheel Rd. to Birdon Rd., I spotted some new martin houses that had just been erected at the campground where the employees of the Big Cypress National Preserve live. These gourd-houses already had several prospective tenants checking them out. Thus, Purple marten was another addition to the Collier County Big Year list. That's four new birds todat. Yeehaw!
On the return home in the late afternoon, I once again stopped at the Fritchey Rd. Wetlands in hopes of seeing or hearing a Great Horned Owl. No luck. Oh well, I'm sure to get it and several family members in the months ahead. The AMROS were still there, gorging on the Brazilian Peppers. . . .
I ended the month of January with a total of 142 species seen in Collier County for my Big Year list. Stay tuned to see how far it will go in the coming months.
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